


Thwarted

by snowbryneich



Series: Deception [7]
Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-28
Updated: 2016-09-28
Packaged: 2018-08-18 08:54:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8156392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowbryneich/pseuds/snowbryneich
Summary: Elizabeth's attempt to flee Port Royal does not go well - but another option presents itself.





	

Elizabeth spent the rest of the night in a rough room in a tavern by the docks - she did try to sleep but the room was filthy and she cannot bring herself to lay down properly. Even if she could she might have failed entirely given her level of panic and so she waited for morning and begun her preparation. She bound her breasts with linen and changed into Will’s clothing - she would have to leave the uniform or she would look a deserter. She redid her queue

She was sure she could find passage on one of the ships currently docked - it helped to not care where she was going. Anywhere that was not here would do. But even as she slipped out of the tavern just before dawn she found the docks swarming with marines and heard that all ships were being held due to a theft at the governor’s mansion. For a brief moment she was confused and then she realised James’ was protecting her reputation - she should have left the notes with her father - there were hundreds of places in his house she could have left a note where it would not have been found right away. Until she was safely gone.

 

Part of her would like to return to the tavern and hide there but she had not sold any jewellery yet and she would run out of money long before James’ ran out of patience. She knew that and with her father’s permission he could hold the ships indefinitely. So she would have to go home and she was near tears as she snuck off the docks. She was not thinking of course.

She may know the docks well but she not as well as James. He had shown her most of the paths when she was a stubborn child and he had been a beleaguered lieutenant who had probably just wanted her to leave him alone. So she should not be surprised to find James waiting for her on the path to town. His face closed and distant but she saw him before he saw her - he was staring a a piece of paper - her note, she realised. It had been plain enough what she had written. It had been a farewell, an apology and a confession of her feelings and regrets all at once. She had ended it with a sincere note that she understand why he could no longer want her and a wish for him to be happy. And a post script asking him to pass the other things to her father.

 

But she must have made some noise because he looked up and all she saw was a flicker of anger. “Mrs. Turner,” the formality was like a slap. “I will escort you to your father’s house.” 

“Not my husband’s?” she said bitterly. She did not want to cry in front of him. He didn’t even want her - why had he stopped her leaving.

“No,” he said. “Wait here I’ll get the carriage.”

“I do not need an escort,” she said. “Not from you.”

“Well you have one,” he said stiffly. “I do not trust that you will not try some other ridiculous scheme. What were you going to do at sea - do you think you could make a sailor?” 

“No,” she said resentfully, though she was sure she could be a sailor if that had been her plan. But she had thought that would more likely to reveal her sex - there was a decent amount of strength involved in sailing and she knew her limits. “I was only going to buy passage.”

“And either you would have been refused by any decent captain or been the plaything of the crew of any unscrupulous one.” James told her outraged, his temper on a knife edge after a night of anxiety - until he had seen her - he had been terrified she had gotten aboard one of the ships that had left last night.

 

When he had woken up to a note from Elizabeth saying she had gone to sea he had felt ill. He had had nightmares when she had been taken by pirates and had never thought he’d feel like that again. But when it was pirates at least then he could take the entire royal navy out to pursue her recovery. If she was on some merchant vessel he did not have the same leverage though he was not sure he would have been unable to stop himself for all it would have destroyed his career. The rest of the note - in which she had apologised to him and confessed her love and said again and again she knew why she did not have his had not helped either. Should he apologise that he had decided to consider reputation and her future happiness rather than his own wants?

He could not help but inform her icily. “Do you think this get up would fool anyone. Any man with eyes or sense would know you for a woman.” If she had dressed her sex perhaps any Captain who would take a woman passenger might have treated her decently but dressed as she was that outfit would make her fair game to any man who assumed she had something to hide and no-one to turn to. She flushed and he could see she was near tears and he regretted his harsh words - thought it was better she know.

“I will go home,” she said stubbornly. “I can walk,” the carriage pulled up then and she attempted to duck round him.

 

James seized her arm. “You can get in the carriage of your own accord,” he said. “Or can I put you in it.” She struggled still and he shrugged. “As you like,” he threw her over his shoulder and secured her in the carriage.

When she was settled he took one look at her furious face and elected to sit with the driver, locking the carriage door from the outside. He would not put it past herself to do herself an injury flinging herself from a moving carriage given the lack of sense she had already shown. The note she left him made it clear that she was not at all capable of rational thought but as thankfully she was still on land he sent a runner to the docks to let the men know the ships could leave.

Elizabeth burst into tears when James slammed the carriage door on her - why was he doing this. Why should he care if she left. Or if she was assaulted. He had made it clear he did not want her and Will’s words haunt her - was she blacksmith’s leavings to James? Or was he just bored of her. Or maybe he had only bedded her because he was drunk - no she amends, she knew that wasn’t true - for all it had started like that.

 

When they got to the government house - Elizabeth fled the carriage ignoring him and her father and flew up the stairs - James had seen her tear stained face and wondered again what had happened last night. What on earth had happened between her and her husband that had led to Will Turner brawling in the streets and Elizabeth trying to flee Port Royal.

“I see she took the news badly,” the Governor said. “Thank you for bringing her home.”

James was rather ashamed of himself when he turned to the Governor. “Sir, she doesn’t know,” he said. “She was so distraught - I did not think it my place.” As soon as he said it he condemned himself for a coward. It might have even cheered her to know Will had been arrested. If she had fleeing from him it might make her feel safe.

 

Elizabeth in fact learnt of Will’s arrest from Estrella who had been brought here along with Mary to answer her father’s questions about why Elizabeth would flee the island. Well eventually she did, once Estrella stopped crying and scolding Elizabeth for abandoning her. Then she told her Will had been arrestd along with a Mr. Duncan - they had been brawling on main street and had both been arrested for breaking the peace.

Elizabeth frowned. Had Will just gone out and attacked the first person he had seen because he was angry at her. That did not seem like him for all her dislike of him. He had a temper but it was a focused one - she knew that.

 

“Who is Mr. Duncan?” she said. “I don’t recognise the name.” Estrella flushed when she asked and so Elizabeth would not let it go - not until Estrella told her that Mr. Duncan’s daughter worked in the dress shop and it all made sense. “I see,” she said and could not help a sense of dark amusement that Lotty’s father didn’t like Will either - though of course he had more cause.

“What will happen?” she asked - Estrella would have all the gossip. Elizabeth was not surprised to learn neither man wished to prosecute for assault so it would be down to James what happened. She did not care a fig what would happen to Mr. Duncan but she partly hoped James would take the opportunity to have Will flogged. No doubt he would not either out of guilt for his trespasses against Will for bedding her - she was of course technically Will’s property of course. And if not her father would probably pardon him. It would be embarrassing for him to have his son in law flogged like a common criminal. Still once Estrella had gotten her into a proper dress - albeit an old one, she marches downstairs and informed her father and James she was going home. She was a married woman now and if she did not usually enjoy the position it at least gave her the privilege of not being under her father’s control.

 

It was more peaceful at home knowing Will would not bother her there and she instructed Estrella not to admit her father or James if they should call. But three days later she received an unexpected visitor - she only knows because she could hear Estrella fussing at the door. “You should not even be at the front door.” Estrella said hotly. “There is a perfectly good servants entrance if you wish to sneak in this house - if you haven’t already.”

Elizabeth glanced over Estrella’s head - Lotty was in tears. “Miss Duncan,” she said in a cold voice and Estrella shut her mouth and glared that Elizabeth had even acknowledged the woman. “Will isn’t here,” she said. “You can visit him in gaol if you really must see him.” She was given a dirty look.

“I already have” Lotty said bitterly and every bit of her tone implied she knew Elizabeth had not. Elizabeth had considered visiting Will - but she was sure James and the men who report to him would never let her near the cells even if her husband was confined in them. “Mrs Turner - everyone is saying that your father will pardon Wil- Mr Turner.” It was with effort that correction. “But that my father will be flogged.” She wrung her hands in her apron skirt and then wiped her eyes. “But my father - he is not in the best of health and my mother still has three children at home. If you could speak to your father - surely it is not fair that only one of them be pardoned - either they broke the peace or they did not. And I swear - I won’t go near him again. Ever. I’d be forever in your debt.”

 

“As if I care what you or he do,’ Elizabeth said huffily. It would do her no good at all if Will gave up his mistress because she refused him - it would only be worth while if he still loved Elizabeth and even then Elizabeth didn’t think that interested her much at all. 

“You are so cold,” Lotty said her tears spilling over her face. “It is no good looking down your nose at me as if I am a thief - I had him first you know.”

 

That was the worst thing the other girl could have said and Elizabeth drew back to slam the door in her face. So she had been Will’s sweetheart.

“I’m sorry,” Lotty said suddenly stricken with panic. “I didn’t mean it - I always knew he was only interested in me because he couldn’t have you. But he said we would get married when he finished his apprenticeship and my father believed him then he married you - he hates Will for ruining me. But can you blame him. Please he’s just a foolish old man who cares about his daughter.” Elizabeth stopped herself - perhaps she and Lotty would never have much in common but Elizabeth could not help but empathise with her defence of her father. And something about Lotty’s words struck a chord with her.

“When you say you had him first,” she demanded ignoring the girls blush. “Do you mean you _had_ him?”

 

Lotty looked bewildered and furious all at once. “Yes,” she said. “I wanted him to marry me - he was a catch - Mr Brown had no heirs and everyone knew he’d get the smithy one day. I wanted to convince him. And I did. He promised and we _were_ happy. Perhaps he fancied you but who he would have married me- you were only ever a fancy.” Lotty turned scornful. “ The Governor’s daughter doesn’t marry a blacksmith.” Except Elizabeth _had_. She felt a twinge of sympathy against her better judgment. Lotty carried on. “We were going to marry as soon as he finished his apprenticeship. If you hadn’t stole him away. You and your dowry and your fancy ways. And your father letting you marry him when you could have any gentleman in town.” 

Elizabeth did not care one bit about this scolding, yet all the same she feels light headed with relief. “I will speak to my father,” she said. “I am sure he will pardon yours. But you will both have to speak to Mr. Milbank and the bishop for me. And there will be no being shy - you have to tell them what you just told me - that he said he would marry you and you bedded him. ” Lotty looked horrified at the notion but Elizabeth stands her ground - it was not so much to ask. And if Miss Duncan knew a thing about the law - or lack of it in England’s colonies -she could have gone already to the church already. Though perhaps not - who would risk offending the Governor. But eventually she agreed and Elizabeth shut the door in her face and sunk to her knees and cried with relief.

But then she pulled herself together - she had to see her father. Mr. Duncan would be a much less convincing witness that Will had made a marriage of consent with his daughter if he was recovering from a flogging. And Elizabeth needed him to be convincing to render her own match with Will invalid. But she could not help being giddy with hope all the way to Government House. She would disgrace herself quite throughly of course. She would still be a blacksmith leavings. But she would rather be an old maid than Will’s wife and she was not going to pass up this chance.


End file.
